“And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.” (Genesis 28:6)
How many times have you had a surprise visit from God in your sleep? It happens, I’m told quite frequently. It seems they come especially at times when there is a major shift coming – either known or unknown to you at the time.
In our verse this morning we find Jacob on the back side of a major split with his family. He had deceived his father and stolen the birthright of his older brother, Esau, and now was leaving all he knew familiar behind to escape his brother’s wrath. His life was swirling out of control as he entered into this new season of life. As he left his homeland night time was falling and it was not safe to travel, so he picked what would appear to be a random spot to bed down for the night. As you know, of course, there is no such thing as “random” with God and so found out Jacob that night.
As he lay sleeping he had a vision which we now know and call “Jacob’s Ladder.” In this vision he saw angels ascending and descending from the earth into heaven and God standing at the top speaking to him. I encourage you to read this whole passage and meditate upon it today as you go about your business. The key we are focusing on today is Jacob’s statement that we read above: “...Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.”
It is vital that we understand God sees us wherever we are. It’s interesting that the message God shared with Jacob was a message of promise, of hope, of eventual restoration. God didn’t come to punish Jacob after his sin. God didn’t use this time to torment him in his sleep about what he had said and done. God didn’t come to shame him or cause him pain in this moment of personal failure and mental stress. Instead, God spoke to him of promises and of blessing. You may be running today. You may have been running for a long time trying to escape something awful in your past. Like Jacob, it could be said that you brought this upon yourself. Take heart, my friend. God sees you, He hears the cry of your heart, He sees the anguish in your spirit, and He has tracked your steps to where you are. He is speaking to you of restoration and promises unfulfilled in your life. You may be lying in the bed of the other woman right now, maybe you just shut up another round of heroin or are reading this in the darkened corner of a bar as you drink your beer. God sees you and wants to restore you.
As a chosen child of God you are never out of His reach. Think about it: God came down into the middle of the fiery furnace of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego to deliver them. God was in the snowy pit with Benaiah and gave him victory over a lion with which he wrestled. God appeared to the Israelites in the hot sands of Egypt as they fled slavery and bondage and saved them through the Red Sea. God has been visited by people in crack houses, in houses of prostitution, in jail or prison, in the operating room. He is ever-present and ever-willing to speak to His called ones no matter where they find themselves – even if they are running from Him. And He is not there to condemn but to restore.
God speaks to us of restoration. He reminds us of promises made that are, as of yet, unfulfilled. He seeks us out to draw us back into relationship with Him. It may not be a supernatural, instantaneous occurrence. It may take some time and it may get messy. It will call for the shedding of some blood in many instances (or at least the possibility of it). For example, when Jacob returned to his homeland many years later he had to face the same brother he had wronged – the same one that threatened to kill him if he ever saw him again. Healing can be a very messy and painful experience, yet in order to get back into the place with God we are supposed to be it is necessary. What helps us through the pain are the promises.
Jacob awoke from this very vivid dream, this vision, with the knowledge that God was there and that He cared for him. How awesome! I pray God gives us all those visions in our sleep from time-to-time, that He speaks to us when we cannot respond. In our sleep our defenses are down, we cannot argue back with Him, we cannot block Him – we can only lie there and listen. Like Jacob. Surely God is with you today. May He make you consciously aware of that very fact as you go about your business of life. He is only a breath away. Call out to Him today. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, to help you be sensitive to His Presence, to know Him, to feel Him. God is with you, my friend.
Be blessed.
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